It has to do with the airline's dismissal of its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ian Brunton. The airline announced Friday that it had fired Brunton.
In an interview with the Trinidad express the Works and Transport Minister, who has jurisdiction for the alrine, confirmed that Brunton was fired following a disagreement between the minister and the chairman.
"I had a disagreement with the chairman and he had a complete lack of respect for me as the line minister," the Express quoted Warner as saying. "He did not inform me as the line minister about why he dismissed Mr Brunton."
The paper said Warner stated that there were a number of meetings about policy direction for Caribbean Airlines and the recent acquisition of Air Jamaica, as well as the purchase of nine new turbo prop aircraft by CAL from European manufacturer ATR. The new planes will cost US$200 million.
Read the story: Caribbean Airlines buying 9 new planes for $1.2 billion
The Express said Warner stated that his disagreement with Nicholas was over which company should get the contract for the new planes. The paper said Warner complained of a "lack of respect" from Nicholas, which has forced him to formally complain to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
"I have lodged a formal complaint with the Prime Minister against the chairman. He has been there for three weeks and he decided he had all the knowledge...I have written to the Prime Minister and I intend to take this matter further, to deal with this matter," he told the paper.
He added, "I hold no brief for Mr Brunton but the chairman had a lack of respect for me as the line minister."
The minister said he has no idea why CAL fired Brunton and suggested that the chairman "had a penchant" for foreign aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier. Warner had advised Brunton to negotiate the deal with ATR for the planes.
Brunton was the chief negotiator with the European plane manufacturer, ATR, to buy nine new aircraft at a cost of US$200 million to replace the airlines current fleet of Dash-8 aircraft.
The Express also reported that there was disagreement over the management of Air Jamaica.
The interim CEO has stated that "in keeping with the statements made by the Honourable Prime Minister in early July, we intend to nurture two distinct brands, one of Air Jamaica and the other Caribbean Airlines".
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